CMAP strongly encourages each municipality to submit their completed survey on-line. Paper surveys were also mailed late last week. It is recommended that municipalities assign one individual to shepherd the survey through to completion, although it is not expected that one person will necessarily know the answers to all questions. The Planning Liaisons for each Council of Mayors will assist with distribution and periodic reminders about the survey. CMAP will share an analysis of survey responses in winter 2014. As with all previous surveys, staff will not use the resulting data to create municipal scorecards or rank municipalities. Contact Drew Williams-Clark with questions (survey@cmap.illinois.gov).

Analysis shows how balanced housing options benefit communities

CMAP and the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance (CAFHA) have released Fair Housing and Equity Assessment: Metropolitan Chicago. The report finds that communities with a well-balanced supply of housing enjoy many economic and social benefits that include more reliable tax revenues, more sustainable development, and more opportunities for regional collaboration, especially related to infrastructure development. CMAP and CAFHA plan to work with local governments that wish to address these issues proactively. The report can also help communities capitalize on pending requirements for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant recipients. As a recipient of HUD funds for its Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program, CMAP was required by the Department to prepare the report. For more information, contact Kendra Smith (ksmith@cmap.illinios.gov or 312-386-8774).

Community Snapshots updated with American Community Survey data

Several tables in CMAP's Community Data Snapshots have been updated with new information from the recently released U.S. Census Bureau's 2008-12 American Community Survey. Updated data cover topics like housing, educational attainment, household income, and other population characteristics. For more information, contact Liz Panella (epanella@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8839).